Built-up container



BUILT-UP CONTAINER Filed Feb. 14, 1940 liar/75y Patented Nov. 12, 1940UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 7 2,221,426 BUILT-UP CONTAINER Edward mmWhittier, Elizabeth, N. J.

- Application February 14, 1940, Serial No. 318,912

12 Claims (01. 312-144) J This invention relates tdWardrobes; cabinetsand the like and particularly to those constructed from a collapsiblefolding unit comprising the four sides of the structure and twosubstantially similar top and bottom or endsections-the latter beinginterlocked with the top andbottom edges of the side and rear walls andwith the upper and lower rails of the front side door frame. Thisarrangement facilitates the novel assembly of the three mainpackaged-for-shipment parts and provides a novel compact packagefor'shipment of the three parts. Heretofore such containers have beenshipped in a package containing four separate main parts requiring theuser to assemble four instead of three separate parts.

An object is to provide a device of this class consisting of a unitcomposing the walls made and assembled at the manufacturers plant fromtwo parts one of which is a four-hinge-pointfoldable part of suitablepreferably fibrous material providing the side and rear portions of thecontainer and having its forward-vertical side edges fastened in groovesformed in vertical stiles of the other of front door frame part. When sofastened the two parts forming the unit of four sides are arranged forshipment thereof in novel folded manner, the rear or back bein foldedagainst one side and the other side being simultaneously folded againstthe front and the four joined sides being then folded intoparallelism.

Other objects are to provide means in said side portion-s facilitatingsaid folds; to provide means in the top and bottom members facilitatingremovable attachment thereof with the sides; to provide cooperativemeans in the top; bottom and sides for uncoupling the said top, bottomand side units to provide a door frame unit having a peripheral grooveof unitary structure removably receiving the front edges of the top,bottom and wall members to form a simple, neat finished appearance tothe complete device.

Patent Number 2,009,482 to Derman discloses related matter but theadvantages and other objects of the present invention thereover will bereadily apparent and clearly understood from the accompanying drawingand following descriptio forming part thereof. I

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my devicewith parts of the structurebroken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 3 is a transverse section. on line 2-2. of

being folded from their position of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the position the parts assume uponbeing folded from the position of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section online 55 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 6 is a perspective view looking upward at the inside of the top.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section fragmentary view of a portion of the doorframe showing another method of fastening the free side edge to theframe.

Fig. 8 is a plan schematic sectional view showing my device when madewith additional width and having added section X.

Fig. 9 is a schematic view showing the device of Fig. 8 in foldedposition for shipment thereof.

The part I0, Figs. 1 and 2 as shown, is formed from a single sheet ofpreferably fibrous corrugated board and consists of three wall portionsIlla and 1b, the sides, which are hingedly coupled at lines I3, |3a withI the back. Said sides have front end portions Illa, lllb' beinghingedly coupled at lines |3a and I31) and are suitably permanentlyfastened as with staples S in longitudinal grooves IS in the front sidemembers lllf of the door frame. In the packing-forshipment of the deviceit is seen that a side such as Illa. may be folded against the frontlflf, and the other side lDb simultaneously folded against the back lOc(see Fig. 3) and then further folded about crease lines l3a, I312 to theposition of Fig. 4 so that the unit of four sides are in substantialparallelism to form a relatively flat package. Other folds and methodsmay be used.

The top II and bottom Ila are of substantially similar constructionalthough the top may have a transverse clothes-hanger-rod M which may beremovably turnably fastened in hooks Hi, the

rod having mounted in each end a flat head pin or screw or the like I42to be cooperatively received by the hooks.

Each part II, Ila consists of a panel I attached to a frame l6consisting of rails 16a, Nib and H50, the rails being grooved on theirinner surfaces as at I l to enclosingly receive the top and bottom edgesof the walls Illa, IOb, I00 (see Figs. 5 and 6) and said panel has aprojecting tongue l5a (Fig. 5) which facilitates the attachment of theparts II, Ila to the front door frame I07, the tongue removably enteringgrooves l8 to be enclosed therein. It is seen that the frame III) hasuniform peripheral groove I8, l9, Fig. 1,the upright portions of whichhave the ends of portions Illa, .lllb permanently fastened therein andthe horizontal ends thereof having portions I511 removably mountedtherein.

In attaching members ll, Ila with the fourwalled unit member ID, theportions la are first inserted in their respective grooves l8 and thewall top and bottom edges are then placed in their respective groovesI1. I prefer to removably' suitably tie the three units Ill, H and Ilatogether with cooperative means such as pliable wire 30 having a portionthereof permanently fastened to the top and bottom members and the fr nh ee 6 d t erect then Wound around a "ing a door hingedly mountedthereon, said front suitable hook means 3| (see Figs. 1, 5 and 6). Thismethod permits break-down without soar of the units and providesremovable independent connection of the ends with the sides and no toolsor separate fastening means are needed or applied by the user inassembling the parts- Other fastening means and methods may be used. 7The unit I2 includes a door 20 whichis hingedly supported on the frame[0 on hinges 2| andit ,may have latch means (not shown) .at its freeside edge. The inward movement of the door may be limited by flange stop20.! formed on its frame. The door 2!] consists of a, framecomposed ofside members 29a and top and bottom cross members 20?), the inner edgesof all of which are grooved as at 24, Fig. 1, to receive a panel 25which is inserted as the frame is.:being assembled, A corrugated nail Nis preferably placed across the mitered edgesof the frame to fasten ittogether.

It is seenthat inpacking the complete device of three units forshipment, the top and :the bottom-parts II and Ila may be convenientlyplaced upon the folded main-body-Wall-with-frame part to provide arelatively thin vfiat elongated package which may be suitably wrapped.In my wide type of cabinets as schematically shown in Figs. 8 and 9 saidtop and bottom parts may be placed between the door frame and the foldedmembers llla, X, lilo, lllb so as to be enclosed therein'when shipped. 7v In Fig. '7, is shown an embodiment of my invention in which thportions Hm, 1% are permanently fastenedas With-staples S inlongitudinal grooves l9 formed in the outside face of frame verticalrendstile Hi the free edge of the side walls Illa, Hib beingunalignedwithsaid sides both ..in built-'uporbroken down position. This method ofattachment lends added decorative fibre; board areato the side wall areaand reduces the exposedarea of theside stile I'Of.

It is to be noted that in .making up my cabinets I prefer to first fixthe upright side. stiles if on the'corrugated (paper side free ends andthen attach the top and bottomrcross frame pieces to thus form the framewith the Walls attached rather than to. form the frame andxthen attachit tothe'sides, I i

Figs. 8 and 9 are plan schematic views (on reduced scale) of my methodof Tfolding the sides 10a, lflb, lilo in cabinets that are wideriby thedistance X than that shown in FigsLl to 6 there being an additional foldline l3d in theiback wall. Saidback wall having been obviously widenedby the distance X this portion assumes the position shown in Fig. 9 whenfolded for shipment.

, 1-..A container of "the 'classdescribed consisting of three removablyconnected main parts one of which comprises a single sheet of materialfixed on a front-door-frame-wall together hingedly forming a frontframed opening panel wall connected with back and side integral'walls,the sheet having side front edges and end edges, a fold line parallel toand adjacent each sidefront edge whereby the walls are connectedlyfoldable into substantially parallel sections, two end parts havingfront edges and means removably coupling the, end edges of the side andback walls therewith, said. front frame having a peripheral integralgroove enclosedly receiving the front edges of the side walls and endparts therein and havedges of the sides alone fixed in said framegroove.

2. 'Ihe device of claiml including means removably holding the threemain parts together when assembled for use as a built-up container.

'3. The device of claim 1 including means removably holding the threemain parts together when assembled for use as a built-up containercomprising means holding'the top and bottom each independently to thesides. 4. The device of claim 1 including means removably holding thethree main parts together when assembled for] use as .a built-upcontainer comprising means holding the top and bottom each independentlyto the sides comprising a tie piece on. the top and on the bottom havingan end, and hooks on the sides having the tie ends wound therearound.

5. A container of the 'class described consisting of three removablyconnected main parts one of which comprises a single sheet of materialfixed on -a' front door-frame-wall together hingedly forming a frontframed opening panel wall connected with back and side integral walls,the sheet having, side front edges and end edges, a fold line parallelto and adjacent each side front edge and a fold line'in the backparallel to and adjacent oneofthe sides, whereby the Walls areconnectedly foldable into substantially parallel sections, two end partshaving front edges and means removably coupling the end edges of theside and back walls therewith, said front frame having ,a peripheralintegral groove enclosedly re- 7 ceiving the front edges of the s1dewalls and end parts therein and having a door hingedly mounted thereon,said front edges of the sides alone fixed in said frame groove.

,6. The device of claim 5 including means removably holding the threemain parts together when assembled for use as a built-up container.7.The device of claim 5 including means reinovably v holding the. threemain parts together when assembled for use as a built-up containercomprising means holding the top and bottom each independently to thesides.

8. The deviceof claim 5 including means removably holding the three mainparts together when. assembled for use as a built-up containercomprising. means holding the top and bottom each independently tothe'sides comprising a tie piece .on the top and on the bottom having anend and hooks on the sides having the tie ends wound therearound.

9. A container of the class described consisting of three removablyconnected main parts one of which comprises a single sheet of materialfixed ona rectangular front-'door-frame-wall together hingedly forming afront framed opening panel wall connected with back and side integralwalls, the sheet having side front edges and end edges,a foldilineparallel to and adjacent each side front edge, and a fold line in theback parallel to and adjacent one of the sides, whereby the walls areconnectedly foldable into substantially parallel sections, two end partshaving front edges and means removably coupling the end edges of theside and back walls therewith, said front frame having a peripheralintegral groove enclosedly receiving the front edges of the side wallsand end parts therein and having a door hingedly mounted thereon,upright parts of said groove being formed in the outer side surface ofthe frame vertical sides, said front edges of the sides alone fixed insaid frame vertical groove unaligned with and reinforcing said sidewalls 15 and concealing part of said front frame.

10. The device of claim 9 including means removably holding the threemain parts together when assembled for use as a built-up container.

11. The device of claim 9 including means removably holding the threemain parts together when assembled for use as a built-up containercomprising means holding the top and bottom each independently to thesides.

12. The device of claim 9 including means removably holding the threemain parts together when assembled for use as a built-up containercomprising means holding the top and bottom each independently to thesides comprising a tie piece on the top and on the bottom having an end,and hooks on the sides having the tie ends wound therearound.

EDWARD LEON WHITTIER.

